THE NATIONAL Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) has condemned remarks made by the all-male podcast hosts of Machong Chismisan about Kris Aquino’s son, Josh Aquino, who is on the autism spectrum, saying that persons with disabilities should be treated with respect and should not be subjected to ridicule or mockery.
In a now-deleted podcast episode, one of the five hosts, Tito P, mocked Josh by saying “walang kwenta” while laughing. Another host called out Tito P’s remark as a “low blow,” prompting laughter from the others.
The hosts are in hot water, with Josh’s friends and relatives defending him on social media and slamming the remarks.
The NCDA reminded content creators to exercise respect and sensitivity on their platforms, noting their responsibility to create safe and inclusive digital spaces.
“Persons with disabilities must be treated with absolute respect, empathy, and understanding, not as subjects of mockery or cheap entertainment and clout. Punch-down humor masked as freedom of expression serves as fuel and amplifies the harmful stigma against those protected by disability rights,” NCDA said in a statement.
The council also noted that the Republic Act No. 7277, or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities, provides that individuals must be given respect and dignity in physical or digital spaces.
“Hence, curating content that trivializes their condition for viral reach and entertainment constitutes a form of ridicule and disrespect, violating their dignity and perpetuating systemic discrimination. This principle applies equally to sharing and reposting them,” it added.
It also urged the public not to share or repost any content on social media that is meant to degrade or mock persons with disabilities.
Amid the backlash, Machong Chismisan apologized for the hosts’ demeanor and remarks, saying the comments made during the deleted episode “were inexcusably insensitive and hurtful.”
“There has never been any intention to malign or punch down for the sake of likes or views, nor to raise ourselves to be a platform where the people speaking are always correct, or always funny,” the podcast said in a separate statement.
In line with the controversy, The Podcast Network released a statement announcing the termination of its contract with Machong Chismisan. (Dianne Sampang © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
